MLB teams tab trio of Central Mass. products on final day

Saturday

Jun 7, 2014 at 10:34 PMJun 7, 2014 at 10:41 PM

By Jennifer Toland TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Ty Sterner and his dad, Bob, were following the final day of this year's Major League Baseball Draft on the computer Saturday afternoon. Sterner needed a break from the online tracking, so he stepped outside to enjoy the sunshine in the backyard of his family's Worcester home.

Soon after, his phone rang. It was the call he had been waiting for his whole young life.

A Cincinnati Reds area scout was on the other end, informing Sterner that the team had selected him in the 23rd round. Sterner, the former Doherty High star who recently completed his junior season at the University of Rhode Island, was the 695th overall pick.

"I'm on cloud nine," Sterner said.

Sterner, a 6-foot, 209-pound left-handed pitcher, said the Reds had been in contact with him over the last few months.

"They showed the most interest in me," Sterner said. "I was kind of expecting a call. I just didn't know when."

Sterner was the second Central Mass. product to be drafted this year. Vanderbilt junior pitcher Tyler Beede was taken in the first round (14th overall) by the San Francisco Giants.

Sterner said he will sign his contract today. He expects to join the Reds' short-season Class-A team in Billings, Montana, early in the week. The short season starts June 14.

After serving in a setup role out of the bullpen his first two years at URI, Sterner started nine games this season. The young Rams struggled to a 12-38 mark, and Sterner was 0-7 with a 5.84 ERA.

"We didn't have a URI year," Sterner said, "but we still competed and had fun."

Sterner, a two-year captain at Doherty, was one of ESPN's top 25 players from the Boston area as a senior. He was also one of Rawlings' top 400 players in the country that year.

Sterner said his development the last three years has been great.

"I've changed completely," he said. "I'm more mature as a pitcher. I wouldn't be where I'm at today if I didn't go to URI. I loved everything about that school."

Among the first people to reach out to congratulate Sterner Saturday was Ed Whalen, his former Doherty High coach. Sterner also heard from a few of his former Highlander teammates.

Sterner attended both of Doherty's Central Mass. Division 1 Tournament games, including Friday's loss to St. Peter-Marian in the semifinals.

"It was a great year for Doherty," said Sterner, who also kept tabs on the football team, which won a Super Bowl title.

Sterner and his family planned to celebrate his big news together Saturday night.

"Everyone is pumped," he said. "We're all excited."

Two other local products were drafted on the third day of the draft, as former Westboro High standout Fran Whitten was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 37th round (1,109 overall) and St. John's High catcher Scott Manea got the call from the Los Angeles Angels in the 40th round (1,191 overall).

After a stellar career with the Rangers that saw him earn the Mid-Wach B MVP and a spot on the Telegram & Gazette Super Team in 2009, Whitten played at Maine until 2013 before playing at Saint Leo's this season. Whitten, who is a teammate of former Holy Name star Liam O'Sullivan with the Lions, was an All-Sunshine State Conference first team selection and was a Tino Martinez Watch List selection and hit .368 with a team-high 11 homers and 44 RBIs.

Whitten said he heard from the Angels in the mid-20s, but when his name wasn't called, Whitten said he turned off his computer and went about his day. It wasn't until his phone started getting inundated with texts, Tweets and voicemails did he realize the Angels drafted him.

"It's nice to be drafted," Whitten said. "After waiting so long, I had it in my mind that I wasn't going to go and I was in that mental zone that I wasn't going to be drafted, so it was a good feeling."

Whitten had been preparing for a career outside of baseball and had looked into getting a job with the Florida Fisheries and Wildlife Commission, but admits that option may have to wait a few years. Whitten said someone from Los Angeles will call him today and work out contract details and minor league assignments.

Manea has been one of the top players in the state for a while, and has a scholarship offer from North Carolina State to prove it. Manea hit .306 with 10 RBIs for St. John's as a senior and batted .320 with 20 RBIs as a junior.

"It was awesome to get the call," Manea said. "I am really blessed and really excited to get drafted by the Mariners. It's a dream come true and I can't put it into words."

Manea said he knew Seattle was interested in him, as he said the Mariners contacted him Saturday and told him they were looking at him around the 4th, 5th or 6th rounds.

Seattle tried to gauge his signability and if it could make something work with Manea and the MLB's slotting system for draft picks, but ultimately they went in a different direction. Manea said he's more than happy to head to Raleigh, North Carolina later this summer.

"I was in a win-win situation between getting drafted or playing at NC State," Manea said. "I'm glad to get drafted, but right now the plan is to go help NC State win a College World Series."

Jim Wilson of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.